


Calm before the Storm

by Icephoinex



Series: One Shots [4]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Character Study, References to Drugs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-27
Updated: 2019-12-27
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:42:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21988324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Icephoinex/pseuds/Icephoinex
Summary: Store Assistant, Detective, Mother. Joyce Byers had many roles. As Scoops Troupe recover from almost getting caught by the Russians, Steve does his best to avoid Joyce's mothering.
Series: One Shots [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1552003
Kudos: 49





	Calm before the Storm

Joyce was a natural mum, Steve decided. She travelled around the group one by one to check their injuries while Hopper, Dustin, Erica and Bauman discussed (argued) a plan. Will stayed by her side, seeing the mind-flayer reignited he horror of the previous November as much as he was now in his teens, he had still seen too much too young.

Jonathan was the first to be checked, he embraced his mother, his arms still shaking from cutting open El’s leg. The bruises on his face were checked and he batted her away as she tried to lift his shirt to check on any hidden injuries. Judging on how he winced when she hugged him lightly, she had been right to worry. Nancy was next to be checked over before being given a hug. Steve saw her relax in Joyce’s embrace. He dragged his eyes away from the shaking form of his ex-girlfriend, he wasn’t in love with her anymore, but he was hurting enough without poking at that emotional scar.

Steve pulled Robin away to find some food before Joyce could reach him. He had never quite forgiven himself for the things he had said about her and Will to Jonathan. He didn’t blame the younger teen for kicking his ass and didn’t know what would be worse, Joyce mothering him or her bypassing him entirely.

The adrenaline was leaving his system and he was starting to hurt. Exhaustion made his head swim as it throbbed in pain while his stomach churned; unhappy that he had eaten while also reminding him that other than some popcorn and water (now gone with the majority of what he had been injected with) he hadn’t eaten in…What day was it? How long had they been down there?

The world spun for a second, but Robin grabbed his arm as he stumbled. Supporting him without being asked as they made their way over to a food stand. Steve jumped onto the counter as Robin hopped over and started going through the fridge. She passed Steve a bottle of water and started raiding the crisp stand for something to eat. He was thankful she hadn’t asked anything about the teenage girl throwing things with her mind yet. Steve wouldn’t even know where to start.

“Whatever they gave us, I get the feeling the comedown isn’t going to be worth the good feelings it gave.”

Steve snorted at Robin’s comment and happily took a sip of water before rinsing before nearly gagging as the taste. His ribs screaming at the abortive movement. Robin held up a small bucket to him. “I’m not gonna be sick, I’m fine,” he mumbled as he curled over his ribs.

“Rinse and spit dingus, don’t know about you but my mouth tastes like arse.” He did as instructed and gave a little thumbs up to Robin once he was feeling better. It took all his willpower to not down the whole bottle, but he really didn’t want to be sick again. Judging by the way Robin was sipping hers she was feeling something similar.

A movement caught the corner of his eye and he flinched from the small hand extended towards him without realising who it was then hissed as his ribs jolted. She withdrew her hand slowly, concern filling her brown eyes.

“Steve? What happened?”

“Oh, hey, Mrs Byers,” He tried to sound breezy as he ignored the question. He was 100% not ready to have a conversation about how he got injured.

“Steve, I’ve told you before, you can call me Joyce” Steve gave a pained smile and glanced over at Robin for assistance. She caught his gaze and headed over to lean on the counter beside him. “This is Robin, she was my work colleague if you couldn’t guess from the outfits.”

“Hey!” Robin gave a friendly ‘customer service’ smile to Joyce.

Joyce smiled back at the pair nervously, her face took on a worried look as she took in the bags under Robin’s eyes and the red mark across one cheek before her eyes darted back to Steve, eyeing up the bloodstains on the lapels of his uniform and the red streaks in his hair. She looked like she wanted to fuss over the swollen mass covering the left side of his face and the split skin under his lip. Steve nervously poked at a loosed tooth with his tongue while avoiding her gaze but as she opened her mouth to question him further Hopper called from the centre of the food court and beckoned the group over.

The gaggle of teens and three adults grouped together. “Right, Bauman and I are going to go down to the Russian base and turn off the machine. Joyce, you and the kids need to drive to Bauman’s in Illinois, the monster won’t be able to find you there. Steve either you or your friend need to get these two to their radio tower thing.” He seemed to notice what state both where in. “Are either of you okay to drive?” Hopper didn’t give an indication that no was an option. Dustin and Erica were smiling smugly, clearly they had gotten their own way with something. Steve felt his adrenaline ramp up again, helping him ignore how much it hurt to move and the slight blur in his vision. Fresh air away from the cooling bodies of the Russians who had tried to recapture them sounded amazing right now.

“Yea I got it, got a car I can use? Lost my keys somewhere.” Steve avoided mentioning exactly how. The more he sobered up the less he wanted to talk about what had happened.

“Steve, should you be driving? You probably have a concussion.” Joyce looked as concerned as she sounded.

“It’s fine Mrs Byers, Robin doesn’t have a licence. Besides, it’s not like it’s the first time.” He felt awkward under her soft gaze.

Hopper raised an eyebrow and slung him a set of keys, “Yellow Cadillac outside. Roads should be dead as everyone is at the fair.”

“Seriously? Sweet!” Steve caught them and started to move towards the front of the mall then paused “Wait what fair?”

Joyce shot a concerned look over towards him “The 4th July fair.”

“It’s the 4th July?” Steve shared a shocked look with Robin. She giggled next to him.

“Seriously dude?” Dustin sighed “I thought you got the drugs out of your system.”

Joyce shared a horrified look with Hopper who rolled his eyes skyward as the four kids left the mall.


End file.
